Simpson Door Company

Simpson Door Company makes handcrafted wood doors — interior, exterior, and everything custom you can imagine. Since 1912, they’ve been manufacturing handcrafted custom wood doors from their base in Washington state. They’re not trying to be the cheapest option on the shelf. Their focus is “trusted performance, security, and no-hassle installation with over a century of craftsmanship”.

With over 100 wood species available, any size, any shape, any design through their Concept Custom Doors program, Simpson targets contractors and architects working on custom homes where the door budget matches the ambition. Products are sold through authorized dealers only, not direct-to-consumer — this is contractor territory, not DIY weekend projects.

Core Product Lines and Technologies

Simpson’s catalog breaks down into three main categories that matter for Montana builders:

Exterior Entry Doors: Their premium wood exterior entry collection includes over 500 designs covering panel doors, French doors, decorative entry doors, and doors with matching sidelights and transoms. Standard exterior stile & rail doors come in Fir by default, but any wood species is available.

Interior Wood Doors: The interior line covers the basics — stile and rail, panel, French, and flush doors. But here’s where it gets interesting for fire code compliance: Their 20-minute fire-rated doors come in 1-3/4” thickness at standard 6’8” height, with models 89382, 89360, and 89355 available in factory-primed finish. Width options include 16”, 20”, 24”, 26”, 28”, and 30”.

Custom Doors: This is where Simpson shines. Their Concept Custom Doors program enables truly one-of-a-kind doors. Want a pivot door for that modern mountain home? Simpson’s got you covered.

The Pivot Door System That Actually Works

Simpson’s pivot door system won the 2024 Product Innovation Award in the Entrance Systems/Hardware category. Here’s why it matters for Montana’s temperature swings:

Specification	Value
Maximum Width	5’0”
Maximum Height	10’0”
Thickness Options	1-3/8” to 2-1/4”
ADA Compliance	Yes, for doors 3’0” or wider
Hardware Finish Options	Stainless steel or matte black

The system includes weatherstripping on all sides with an integrated drop seal at bottom. For exterior luxury models, you get a multipoint locking system with roller latch. That’s the difference between a pivot door that looks good in photos and one that actually keeps the weather out when temperatures drop to -20°F.

Performance Series: Built for Montana Weather

Simpson’s Performance Series addresses the elephant in every Montana building conversation — water damage. Their WaterBarrier technology comes with a 5-year warranty with no overhang requirement. Read that again. No overhang requirement. That’s industry-leading coverage for contractors dealing with wind-driven rain and snowmelt.

The technology package includes:

• WaterBarrier Technology
• UltraBlock Technology for moisture resistance
• Weather seal process at stile and rail joints

Wood Species That Handle Montana’s Climate

Douglas Fir is standard for exterior stile & rail doors — and there’s a reason. It’s stable, takes stain well, and handles temperature swings better than most hardwoods. But Simpson offers options for specific applications:

• For Exterior Doors: Douglas Fir standard, but Accoya wood available for extreme weather resistance
• For Interior Barn Doors: Knotty Alder brings the rustic look clients want
• For Custom Work: Any species available means you can match existing millwork

The Nantucket Collection uses Accoya wood with premium finishes — that’s modified radiata pine that won’t rot, warp, or swell even in the worst conditions. Expensive? Yes. Worth it for a lakefront home in Whitefish? Also yes.

The Bottom Line on Simpson

Simpson isn’t competing on price with the big-box door brands. Their customers are “seeking custom, high-quality wood doors who value craftsmanship, natural materials, and architectural design”. Each door is handcrafted in Washington state by people who’ve been doing this for generations.

Their pivot door system solves real problems for modern mountain architecture. The Performance Series technologies address Montana’s moisture challenges head-on. And the fire-rated options give you code compliance without compromising on aesthetics.

Skip Simpson if you’re framing spec homes or need doors by the truckload. But for custom builds where the door makes the entrance? Where clients care about engineered construction techniques that add strength and durability beyond traditional door-building methods? That’s Simpson territory.

Made within the forests of Washington state since 1912, they understand timber. And in a state where doors take a beating from weather, wildlife, and temperature swings that’d make lesser products fail, that Pacific Northwest heritage counts for something.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What wood species does Simpson Door Company offer for exterior doors?

Simpson Door Company’s standard exterior stile & rail doors come in Douglas Fir, but they can manufacture doors in any wood species available. Their full catalog includes over 100 wood species options including Maple, Oak, Cherry, Bamboo, Pine, Western Red Cedar, Alder, Ash, Birch, Sapele Mahogany, Black Walnut, and Accoya.

Q: Does Simpson make fire-rated doors?

Yes, Simpson Door Company manufactures 20-minute fire-rated doors in 1-3/4” thickness at standard 6’8” height. Models 89382, 89360, and 89355 come in factory-primed finish with width options of 16”, 20”, 24”, 26”, 28”, and 30”.

Q: What’s the warranty on Simpson’s WaterBarrier technology?

Simpson’s WaterBarrier technology comes with a 5-year warranty with no overhang requirement — that’s industry-leading coverage for exterior doors. The Performance Series technology package also includes UltraBlock Technology and weather seal processes at stile and rail joints.

Q: What size pivot doors can Simpson manufacture?

Simpson Door Company’s pivot door system accommodates doors up to 5’0” wide and 10’0” tall, with thickness options from 1-3/8” to 2-1/4”. The system includes weatherstripping on all sides, an integrated drop seal at bottom, and multipoint locking for exterior luxury models.

Q: Can I buy Simpson doors direct from the manufacturer?

No, Simpson Door Company products are sold through authorized dealers only, not direct-to-consumer. This reflects their focus on professional contractors and custom builders rather than DIY customers.

Q: What makes Simpson’s Concept Custom Doors program different?

Simpson’s Concept Custom Doors program allows truly one-of-a-kind door designs in any size, any shape, and any wood species from their selection of over 100 options. This level of customization goes beyond their standard catalog of 500+ exterior door designs.